Birthdays and Onigiri
by kaizokuo
Summary: Zoro's birthday is up and the crew is celebrating, only a blonde a chef can't find a reason to celebrate. Nakamaship with ZoSan at the end.


Loud snores filled the air as the swordsman scratched his cheek. Roronoa Zoro was napping on Sunny's deck yet again, as he always did. The crew had gotten used to not seeing the man awake unless he was training or eating, and of course if there was a fight, the green haired man smelled it kilometers away. But still, Roronoa Zoro slept longer than anyone ever could.

The crew was now in a relaxed state as well, the ladies getting pampered by Sanji, Chopper, Usopp, Brook and Luffy fishing and Franky posing whenever get got a chance. Nami predicted that they'd see an island in an hour or so, and in maximum three hours they could anchor Sunny. Everybody was excited as it had been a long time since they'd been sailing and the stocks were running low, feeding Luffy or entertaining Luffy or cleaning up the mess Luffy made was never easy or cheap, after all.

Two hours later Nami chirped that they'd arrive the island soon told everyone to gather up, as she was responsible for their finances and the ship needed to be guarded, not that she or Robin would ever do it, of course. The woman simply chose not to get those two names in the draw. She gestured everyone to near her and frowned at the still sleeping form of Zoro, who was waken up rather harshly by the cook.

"Nami-swan is talking marimo, so follow her beautiful words she chooses for us," he growled and barely held back a nosebleed as she slightly nodded at him as thanks. Oh, what a beautiful creature she was.

Zoro would normally be more than upset to be waken up, to be waken up this way, or to be waken up by that idiot. But for once in his life, Zoro was glad he woke up.

Truth was, the swordsman never dreamt. He slept all the time, but Zoro couldn't dream since Kuina's death. After her death, his only dream, his one precious goal had become to be swordsman and wipe the floor with Mihawk's guts, which he eventually concluded as his reason for dreamlessness.

Well, it had been the first one since over what, ten years?, but the swordsman didn't feel happy at all. It had started good, he could see himself arriving at the dojo and challenging everyone, meeting Kuina, rivaling Kuina, fighting Kuina, death of Kuina, a sad and crying Kuina, a Kuina who never got to achieve her dream, Kuina, Kuina, Kuina. Zoro felt himself shiver a little as he once more understood what a great role the girl played at his childhood. Kuina was the reason why Zoro was, well Zoro right now, and he had been devastated with her death. He'd never been so angry at himself, so angry at God before. He couldn't understand why he had to lose everything he valued. It seemed like he did. He had lost his family, his so-called dignity as he lost to Kuina, then her, whom he valued more than his life. Such an important figure he'd gained after such a hard loss, but that had to go too. Zero decided if God hated his guts, he would too, and took back all his wishes, all his prayers he'd ever said. He decided he didn't God in his path anymore, as he only seemed to ruin things for him, that he would stand and fight alone. He couldn't bare to lose anyone anymore, which was why he never wanted to join the Strawhat in the first place. But the boy had been so, so persuading he gave in and eventually the boy earned his respect. He was glad everybody in the Straw hat crew was able to look after themselves.

Zoro tuned Nami back in. She was ranting the cliché pack of rules she did everytime, and nobody ever listened. Like Luffy would ever stop stealing food or shit-cook would stop harassing women. Sometimes Zoro wondered if Luffy had been a pirate just to eat different kinds of meat for free, as well as he did with Sanji, he was sure the cook just wanted to exotic boobs.

Zoro exhaled gratefully as Nami stopped talking and handed them stacks of money, hers the biggest, like all the time, not that it mattered. Zoro was able to buy as much as sake as he wanted and maybe sharpen a sword if he found someone reliable. The swordsman hummed as he parted ways with the rest of the crew and went straight into a bar to suck them dry out of sake.

Black Leg Sanji kissed the umpteenth hand he had managed to hold, and a woman slightly older than him blushed.

"It breaks my heart to see such a lovely lady carrying all those bags alone," Sanji cooed, his unoccupied hand grabbing the shopping bags and tossing them over to Luffy whom had been unlucky enough to be paired up with the cook. Nami didn't let the boy go alone, not with any of Chopper, Brook, Usopp or Franky either, so the only choices were also the only (partly) sane ones. Everybody took turns in dealing with the captain, Nami included this time.

So, the great pirate and the future Pirate King Straw hat Luffy had been following Sanji around ruining the chef's every chance to get laid, also being used for a shopping cart.

"Nee, Sanji, I'm bored. Cook me something, we have a lot, don't we?" the boy whined for the thousandth time and Sanji gritted his teeth, glaring at him.

"Luffy, can't you see I'm conversing with a lovely lady here, and more importantly, DOES THIS PLACE LOOK A SHITTY KITCHEN TO YOU?" The cook fixed his posture and cleared his throat, apologizing to the slightly horrified woman sincerely. Luffy pouted as he dropped his bags and ran to a book shop, hoping to run into Robin. That woman was funny.

"ROOOOO-BIIIIIN!" the man yelled as he ran scissoring between the shelves. "Are you here? Robiiiiin?"

"Ah, Captain-san," said woman stuck her head out. "What a coincidence."

"I was looking for you," the captain gave his infamous laugh before he pouted. "Sanji is so boring. All he does is to lick women hands."

"Ah, that's Cook-san," she gave her calm chuckle. "But its what he enjoys, yes?"

Luffy just scratched his head under his hat before beaming up at Robin again. "Do something funny, Robin!"

Robin shook her head. "Don't you think its funny enough to have such hot weather in the middle of November, Captain-san? I think you should just enjoy the sun, because Navigator-san says it'll take a while after this island."

"November?" Luffy's lower lip stood out. "November's snowy Robin!"

"Well here's Grand Line," the woman answered.

The captain continued scratching his head and grabbing random fruits from stalls as he made his way back to Sanji. Something about November bugged him very much. Luffy squinted his eyes he tried harder to remember. His eyes randomly watched the crowd as they caught something bright green, just like Zoro's hair. Green... Zoro... November...

The captain gave an "Ah!" before he jumped up and ran back to Robin who was currently paying.

"Robin! Robiiin! What day is it today?"

"Today? It's the eleventh." The woman, confused. "Something happened, Captain-san?" But Luffy was already out the door.

"Zoro! Zoro!" the younger male continued to run in circles before Sanji approached him one more time sighing, and kicked his head to the ground.

"What the hell are you doing again, Luffy?"

"Iwszhrosbhrtdyyhtdaahy," came the muffled response.

"What? Wait a second," Sanji pulled Luffy's face out of the dirt with ease and let the boy cough out remaining pieces of rock and so on.

"It's Zoro's birthday," the captain said after taking deep breaths. "November eleventh. It's Zoro's birthday! We have to party! And eat cake! And drink! Then eat meat! Then eat meat again!" the younger boy exclaimed as he used all his limbs to stick on Sanji like an octopus. "Bake a huuuuge cake, Sanji!"

The chef puffed out a large amount of smoke before detangling Luffy from his body. "I'm not making anything for that bastard," he stated, and sucked on his cigarette one more time before continuing, "I have no desire to cook for such a caveman who doesn't appreciate anything."

The captain pouted. "You're no fun!"

"Oh, well," Sanji said shrugging, "I can live with that. You go drink with that moss-head, or gather everyone else. I haven't got half of the supplies I need yet. As long as Nami-swan or Robin-chwan doesn't call me personally, I'll be gone."

And just like that, the chef left the boy alone.

Luffy jumped from roof to roof looking for the rest of his crew, yelling out Zoro's birthday, picking up anyone he found without a warning. Nami, Usopp, Franky, Robin and Chopper have been grabbed mercilessly by their captain and currently searching for Zoro. It was obvious he'd be in a bar or a blacksmith, so Nami decided they'd ask for a scowling man at every stop, just to see what kind of a path he followed. Two bars could be right next to each other, and the swordsman would still get lost.

After one hour of search Usopp found their target at a bar stool, snoozing on his spilled beer. The crew were a step away from the man just before he pulled Wadou Ichimonji out and gave them his infamous bloody-murder glare, hiccuping in surprise once he saw his nakama.

"The hell are you all doing here?"

"It's your birthday, Zoro!" Nami yelled, her breasts bouncing happily. She squeezed the man's face before pouting one more time.

"What kind of an idiot forgets their birthday, for God's sake?"

"Really, Zoro!" the sharpshooter chimed in, his nose dangerously close to Zoro's one functioning eyeball. "Did you seriously forget it?"

"Ah, Zoro-san! Maybe you'd like Nami-san to show her panties as a birthday present? I'd sure do! Not that I remember when I was born! Yohohohoho!"

"Zoro-bro, we'll give you a SUUUP-EERRR birthday party, OW!"

"Zorooo, didn't you order meat?"

Truth to be told, since Kuina's death he hadn't celebrated his birthday. He vaguely remembered telling that to Luffy when it was just the two of them on their little boat, he never actually thought the guy would remember it. Hell, even he didn't realize it was his damn birthday! He felt his chest fill with happiness until he realized the shitty cook wasn't even there. Guess without a pair of boobs, he would never mean anything to the man. Zoro laughed bitterly as his balloon of happiness swelled a little, but he decided he wouldn't waste the best day he's had in a while got to waste because of him, that curly bastard. Zoro pushed the blonde man further in his mind as Luffy threw his arm around him and Nami, the whole crew happily singing along to Brook's song. Zoro was feeling happy, and valued, and almost thankful, not that he would ever admit. Like being continuously bitten by a fly, the cook's absence was annoying him to no end, but he never thought he'd ever come to feel this happy after Kuina's death.

Sanji kicked a pebble with his dress shoe. He was currently standing in front of Sunny, he'd come there after shopping was done and started to wait for his crew to return. He waited for one, two, three hours and the sun was currently setting, was the crew seriously partying that hard for the marimo bastard? Without him, to top it? Nobody had called him so he assumed that the marimo would probably want it that way anyway. He could sit around while Nami-swan and Robin-chwan cooed him and not Sanji, the marimo bastard saw them, drank with them and not Sanji! He was so angry over something so stupid and something he chose himself, but he couldn't help it. Sanji climbed back aboard and laid face-first on Sunny's soft green grass, much like marimo's hair. The vegetables he bought that day looked like marimo's hair. Everything looked like marimo's hair.

Sanji groaned and rolled over so he was facing the clouds. He had been stupid, and now he was feeling bad. Again, because of the marimo.

"He can't hate me that much," Sanji muttered as he blocked the light from his eyes with his arm. "We're shipmates. We live together. He can't hate me that much."

The blonde chef bit his lip as his brain told him what to do. He knew the right thing to do, and he wanted it to be worth it. He wanted to be forgiven. He wanted the marimo to be mad at him and maybe punch him because he had been such a bitch. He wanted to know that the bastard had noticed his absence and it mattered to him. He wanted the marimo to ask him why he didn't come.

He wanted him to care.

Roronoa Zoro was currently drunk.

None, repeating, none of his crew mates had ever seen him drunk. And now all of them were memorizing how laugh he could laugh, how his eyes could sparkle, and how didn't look like a 60-year-old grumpy man but a 21 year old, still young and excited. It was almost cute.

Roronoa Zoro was being dragged to the ship by Franky, who kept hitting Zoro's head to branches while trying to pose, which eventually resulted in the swordsman throwing up, and Franky continued his way to his beloved ship where an anticipated chef was waiting, speedo-less. Not that he minded, of course.

After his throwing up session Zoro felt better, but still bad, for that matter. When Franky placed the man aboard with an "OW!", Sani lured out of his kitchen slowly.

"You're back," he said, his eyes traveling on the laying green haired man and his standing nakama. Sanji was feeling nauseous upon seeing him and he didn't even know why, but he wanted to be back in his kitchen more than ever now.

"Sanji-kuun, why didn't you come? We had a lots of fun!" Nami placed her heel on Zoro's back as Luffy bent down and smacked the man continuously on the head. Chopper yelled him to stop, but everybody knew their captain never followed logic.

"Yeah, Sanji, Zoro got drunk and it was soon funny! He didn't even frown! Then he threw up on Franky's pants! It was awesome!"

Sani only then realized that Franky was all out, and snarled at him for being naked in front of the ladies, but even that seemed forced. He listened to them rant about the party for a few more minutes before he excused himself as he still had work to do, as his "I'm sorry" present kind out seemed unfitting now. He heard Chopper giving out orders to find the best place for Zoro to rest. He couldn't help but listen. He didn't need to see his face, he'd know who left it anyway.

Sanji waited until the crew calmed down a little and sneaked out, successfully balancing a cup of tea for the marimo's stomach and his gift. He glanced at the marimo sleeping peacefully amongst Nami's mikan trees and took a second to admire the view. His hair, just a tad lighter than the grass surrounding him and his dark green coat, his tan, his stupid golden earrings shining in the dark, it was all so beautiful and Sanji took all the time he needed to admire it. Finally with a sigh he neared the swordsman and squatted next to him, leaving tea a bit further so the idiot couldn't manage to burn himself. He placed the other plate down as well, and stared at his rival with a sigh.

"We'll never get along, will we?"

"That kinda depends on you too, doesn't it shitty cook?"

Sanji jumped back in surprise. Was the fucking marimo awake? He was fucking awake! That cunning bastard knew he was there the entire time and waited!

"S-Shut up, marimo!"

The swordsman grinned with both his eyes closed and Sanji felt his neck getting hotter, oh he wanted to pour that tea down his moss right now.

"Why are you here anyway?" he asked, still not opening his eyes. Sanji was grateful, he was feeling the hotness creeping upper every second and the expression he had right now was a ticket for eternal mocking.

"I..." he started, not really knowing what to say. H e wasn't planning on speaking, dammit! He'd just toss his apology in food-format and they continue brawling in the morning. He hadn't practiced anything!

"I'm sorry for missing your little birthday party, and, you know, stuff. I didn't mean to. I was just busy."

"I guessed." Huh. So he did notice, after all.

There was an uncomfortable silence and it made Sanji want to leave but stay altogether. Shitty moss-head was fucking with his senses. He played with his cravat and waited the marimo to say something. It was almost sad seeing how they couldn't interact if it wasn't fighting.

"Don't you have boobs to bleed on?" Zoro asked finally, as sat up. "Why are sitting here?"

Why was he sitting here?

"Because... Because I still haven't wished you happy birthday," he decided. "Also, you don't look too happy." It was true. After an evening on drinking and not paying, Sanji expected even Zoro to be all smiles. Well, especially Zoro, as no one one the surface loved booze more than this moss head.

"Yeah, well," Zoro replied, throwing an arm over his face. "I just didn't start off good, thats all."

"Is it because I kicked you awake?" Sanji asked, recalling the events that morning. Zoro snorted.

"Like I'd be bothered with that."

"Then what?"

The green haired man let out a sigh. "Playing therapist now are we, asymmetric bastard?" Sanji gritted his teeth to suppress the urge to kick the man to the moon.

"I'm trying to be nice, third-rate swordsman. Now are you going to spill?"

Zoro laid silent for a few moments. Sanji decided that the man wouldn't open up, at least not to him and was about to get up when the man spoke.

"I had a nightmare about an old friend, Kuina," Zoro said, his voice heavy. "She was my best friend and my rival as a kid, kinda like you. The difference is that our dream was the same thing, to become the best. We promised each other that either me or her would eventually become big. She really wanted to prove the world that just because she was a girl that didn't mean she was weak. She died after," Zoro said, and Sanji was surprised to see him care so much. He knew Zoro didn't have parents or any family, also that he grew up in a dojo. He met the girl there, probably. It had to be horrible to lose someone so dear so young.

"I'm sorry," Sanji said.

"Yeah, me too."

The duo fell into a silence after then and Sanji fidgeted. This wasn't exactly the time for presents, but the marimo needed a cheering up and he doubted they'd ever be like this one more time. Sanji cleared his throat awkwardly. "Euhmm, I... Shit."

The swordsman chuckled, which was an alien sound for Sanji. Now the idiot was mocking him?

"Here is your shitty present," Sanji threw the plate at the swordsman, who caught it without effort. He opened the lid carefully and peeked inside.

"Oi, what's this?"

"Onigiri," the chef replied, controlling his temper. "I colored them green so they could match your hair. It also contains a bit sake, so be careful."

Zoro hummed thoughtfully. "You know, you're the only one who got me a present."

Sanji felt the heat rush up to his face again. "Don't think much of it, marimo. I'm just making up for my absence."

"I know," the man smirked. "Thanks anyway," Zoro paused for a second. "Sanji."

The blonde chef jumped once more. Had he just... Did the marimo just call him by his name? Sanji once more felt the heat rush to his face only stronger this time, and he hated to admit that he wanted to hear him say his name again. Zoro's voice was a mirror of everything Zoro was, smug, strong, calm, deep... Hearing his name from those lips was overwhelming in one way. Sanji closed his eyes and furrowed his curly brows until he got calm.

"Yeah," he said after a while. "Don't mention it."

The swordsman stood up. Sanji didn't want him to leave but he wasn't going to stop him either. Zoro stretched for a few seconds before nearing Sanji and ruffled his hair. Said chef growled at him.

"Don't fucking mess up my hair, marimo."

"Whatever," said the man as he sat down once more, facing the chef this time. He looked at the man like he was trying to figure something out and his gaze became uncharacteristically focused. Sanji's eyes widened when the man gave a small shrug and gave the cook a firm kiss, his tongue tracing the blonde's lips lightly before pulling away completely.

"Night," the swordsman called out as he left without looking behind.

Sanji stood up and wobbled before falling on his butt again.

"What? Shitty marimo, oi! Don't do things like that so suddenly! OI!"


End file.
